Common Good Solutions

Social entrepreneurship and social enterprises are gaining global momentum as social, cultural and environmental bottom lines join financial ones as key measurements of business success. Halifax’s Common Good Solutions supports these efforts across Canada by helping entrepreneurs, small business owners, non-profit managers and cooperatives define, achieve and measure the impact they have within their communities.

Common Good Solutions is  focused on growing the social enterprise movement in Nova Scotia and beyond. CGS operates a social enterprise incubator aimed at launching and supporting over 100 social businesses by 2019, and offers a full range of social enterprise consulting, mentoring and training services. Nova Scotia’s first Community Interest Company, CGS devotes 60% of all profits toward its social mission of growing the social enterprise sector in Nova Scotia. CGS commits to paying its employees a living wage, and to retaining Nova Scotia’s youth – 15 of its 20 employees are under the age of 30.

From idea generation and feasibility studies through to ongoing networking and mentoring, CGS is concerned with impact at the individual and community level.  This means working with individuals on ideas or processes which can assist  communities in a sustainable manner, often motivated by participants’ deep involvement within those communities. The organization also hosts or supports events which help communicate the effects of community re-investment through social enterprise.